Global Footwear Export Prices Rebound to $11.65 as Value, Not Volume, Drives Trade

The newly released World Footwear Yearbook 2026 reveals a defining trend in international footwear: exporters are increasingly earning their keep through higher unit values rather than higher shipment volumes.

According to APICCAPS, the Portuguese Footwear Association behind the annual study, the average export price of internationally traded footwear recovered to US$11.65 per pair in 2025. That figure caps a decade-long climb in which the global average rose steadily from US$8.87 per pair in 2016 to US$11.96 in 2023. Prices softened in 2024, but the dip proved temporary — the 2025 recovery underscores the resilience of value creation inside the sector.

What makes the latest increase noteworthy is that it arrived even as the number of pairs exported fell slightly during the year. In other words, exporters generated value not by shipping more product, but by shipping footwear with a higher average market value. Over the last ten years, the data shows that price growth has contributed more to export performance than expanding volumes — a structural shift with real consequences for manufacturers and material suppliers.

The movement toward higher-value product is not uniform, however, and the Yearbook is careful to caution against reading the average as a blanket price rise. Changes in the composition of trade can move the global average just as much as underlying price pressures. A greater share of premium footwear, a shift toward higher-value destination markets, or changes in the relative weight of exporting countries can all push unit values up at the worldwide level without every market or category participating.

For the leather and leather-goods industry, the implication is encouraging. As buyers and consumers trade up — toward better materials, finished leather uppers, and premium constructions — tanneries and component makers that can supply quality and differentiation stand to benefit from a value-led market. The trend rewards craftsmanship and material innovation over pure cost competition.

Now in its 16th edition, the World Footwear Yearbook 2026 analyses the most important trends across the global industry and, with 2025 data available in both quantity and value, positions the main players on production, consumption, exports and imports. This year’s edition includes a dedicated analysis of 84 different markets and addresses the evolution of the sector’s leading global players.

For producers navigating tariff uncertainty and fluctuating demand, the headline is a constructive one: global footwear trade is not simply about volume. Value is holding up, and that gives room for brands and suppliers built on quality to compete on terms that favour leather and premium materials.

Source: World Footwear